Literacy for Babies

1. Literacy for Babies Carla Mason

2. EarlyLiteracy • Early literacy is everything children know about reading and writing before they can actually read and write • Early Literacy is more that just books • Early literacy does not mean teaching reading to infants and toddlers • Learning to read is a fluid process that begins at birth

3. Early literacy Literacy begins on the lap of a loved parent or caregiver. As you sing, rhyme, and tell stories, babies develop listening skills and an interest in and love of words (“Zero to Three Literacy”) .

4. First Steps to Developing Literacy • Book-handling—touching or handling books, playing with books. • Looking and recognizing (a picture, character or scene).  • Understanding pictures and stories.  • Story-reading behaviors.

5. Encouraging Literacy Development • Keep it short • Repetition is key • Express yourself • Let baby explore • Provide appropriate resources

6. Reading Milestones Birth – Toddlers

7. Birth to 6 Months Old Listener, Observer, Cooer • Lullabies and nursery rhymes are first stories • Begins to recognize a song or rhyme if repeated often • By 4 months begins to show interest in books • Needs sturdy vinyl or cloth books

8. 6 to 12 Months Old Cooer, Babbler • . • More interested in the story • Promote interest by looking at books and talking about the pictures • Invite 8- or 9-month-old baby to turn the pages • Introduce objects and pair with words

9. 12 to 18 Months Old Word Maker • Enjoys reading with adults • Turns pages and names pictures of familiar objects • Interested in books which they can touch and sniff

10. Toddlers Phrase Maker • Will invite others to read to them • Show preferences and will ask to have books read over and over • May use “storybook language” in everyday conversations

11. Advantages of Reading to Babies

12. Reading…… • Promotes bonding • Stimulates the brain • Promotes listening • Increases vocabulary • Develops literacy fundamentals • Helps word meaning • Develops attention span • Develops concept of print • Instills love of reading • Increases knowledge of the world (“Readtoyourbaby”)

13. Building Blocks for Literacy Skills Print motivation Print awareness Letter knowledge Phonological awareness Narrative skills Vocabulary (“icpl”)

14. What Research Says • Early Language & Literacy Development • Brain Development • Play-Based Learning • Oral Language • Literacy at Home (“Babyconnections”)

15. References • Babies > Emergent Literacy - Grow Up Reading • www.growupreading.org/babies/index.php?section=120 • Babies Love Books: Early Literacy • www.babieslovebooks.org/early-literacy.html • Early literacy: birth to six | Multnomah County Library • https://multcolib.org/birthtosix • Early Literacy | United for Libraries • www.ala.org › UNITED › Products & Services › Books for Babies • 50 Literacy Activities for Babies - Room to Grow: Making Early ... • earlyliteracycounts.blogspot.com/.../50-literacy-activities-for-babies.h... • How to Create a Literate Home: Baby and Toddler . Reading ... - PBS • www.pbs.org/.../how-to-create-a-literate-home-baby-and-toddler/ • ICPL - KidSpace: Early Literacy • www.icpl.org/kids/early-literacy.php

16. References Continued • Literacy Development For Babies | LIVESTRONG.COM • www.livestrong.com › ... › Literacy Development for Babies • Play and literacy for babies and toddlers | The Monkey Speaks • themonkeyspeaks.wordpress.com/.../play-and-literacy-for-babies-and... • Raise a Baby Bookworm - Parenting.com • www.parenting.com/article/raise-a-baby-bookworm • Read, speak, sing to your baby: How parents can promote literacy... • www.caringforkids.cps.ca › Home › Pregnancy & Babies • Read To Your Baby - Reading Tips, Literacy Begins at Birth • www.readtoyourbaby.com/read_literacy.html • What is Early Literacy? - Baby Connections • www.babyconnections.ca/what-is-early-literacy.html • ZERO TO THREE: Early Literacy Skills from Birth to 12 Months • www.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_par...literacy